In view of the prevalence of heart and circulatory problems in our population, there is a need for a portable device by which a person may frequently take his own pulse in order to regulate his activity to safe and possibly exercising levels that do not unduly strain his heart. Since pulse measurements are normally taken by a trained individual holding the wrist of the person, whose pulse is being measured, or in a laboratory by placing a transducer on an individual, it is not generally possible or feasible for an individual to monitor his own pulse rate during usual activities. While some devices in the prior art are known which comprise self contained units in a wrist watch type case for providing either a rough indication of pulse rate, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,535,067 to Lesher et al. or a signal at the occurence of a predetermined pulse rate such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,968 to Wright, such known devices provide neither precise enough nor sufficient information for an individual to properly regulate his level of activity. Furthermore, a device such as provided by Lesher et al., since it has no memory unduly hampered the individual in requiring that he view the device during his activity.